From India To Sweden: Techie Reflects On Work-Life Balance Shift

When Tyagi moved to Sweden, he was introduced to a strikingly different professional culture, where work-life balance and employee well-being are highly valued

Ankur Tyagi, an Indian tech professional who moved to Sweden in 2021, has shared insights comparing the work cultures in India and Sweden, emphasising the stark differences in employee well-being and professional expectations. Tyagi, a graduate of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University in Lucknow and a former software engineer in India, took to X (formerly Twitter) to respond to a lawyer’s comments on workplace norms and expectations.

Reflecting on his years in the Indian tech industry, Tyagi described a work culture deeply entrenched in hustle, where long hours and late nights were the norm. He shared instances of colleagues sleeping at the office and managers routinely working from 9 am to 10 pm without exception.

"In India, last-minute product deployment is never considered a problem because ‘client is God,'" Tyagi explained. 

He attributed this relentless work culture to the fierce competition in the tech sector. "In India, we’re so many people in tech, hence so tough competition. If you don’t do it — there are 10,000 people in line, so most of us don’t have a choice," he said.

Tyagi further noted that this glorification of relentless work often comes at the cost of personal time and family life. "Hustle culture was so ingrained that I barely questioned it — sacrificing personal time and family moments without a second thought," he said.

When Tyagi moved to Sweden, he was introduced to a strikingly different professional culture, where work-life balance and employee well-being are highly valued. Now working as an independent consultant for tech companies, Tyagi has observed that Swedish organisations operate on a foundation of trust and mutual respect.

“There is an understanding that a balanced life leads to better work,” he said, describing the work culture in Sweden as a "whole new world" compared to his experiences in India.

This cultural shift was initially surprising to him. “It’s the kind of balance I never thought I could ask for,” Tyagi admitted, acknowledging that in India, he had come to accept a lack of work-life balance as the price for career advancement. 

Despite the contrast, he expressed hope for change, suggesting that work cultures in India could evolve to prioritise employee well-being without compromising productivity.